Black-Eyed Peas Bacon (Printable Version)

Tender black-eyed peas simmered with bacon and aromatics in a savory light broth.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 8 oz smoked bacon, diced

→ Legumes

02 - 2 cups dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained, or 3 cans (15 oz each) black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

07 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - Salt to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, preserving the rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté in the bacon fat until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the black-eyed peas, chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
04 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes if using soaked dried peas, or 20 minutes if using canned peas, until the peas are tender and flavors have melded.
05 - Remove the bay leaf. Taste the soup and adjust salt as needed.
06 - Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and chopped parsley before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's ridiculously forgiving—even if you slightly overcook the peas, the soup only gets better and cozier.
  • The smoky bacon transforms simple vegetables into something that tastes like it simmered for hours when it really only takes an hour total.
  • One pot means less cleanup, more time to actually enjoy what you made.
02 -
  • If you use dried peas without soaking them overnight, add an extra 15 to 20 minutes to your cooking time and check on them halfway through—they need time to become truly tender, not just soft on the outside.
  • The soup thickens as it sits, so if you make it ahead and reheat it, you might need to add a splash more broth to get it back to the right consistency.
03 -
  • If you forget to soak your peas overnight, cover them with water, bring them to a boil, then remove from heat and let them sit for an hour—it's not quite as good as overnight soaking but it works in a pinch.
  • Taste your broth before adding it to the pot if you can—some brands are saltier than others, and knowing this helps you nail the final seasoning.
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